Hirkan National Park, National park in Lankaran region, Azerbaijan.
Hirkan National Park is a protected area in the Lankaran region covering portions of the Talysh Mountains and Lankaran Lowland. The terrain contains extensive subtropical and temperate forests with diverse plant and animal life.
Hirkan National Park was created on 9 February 2004 on the basis of the former Hirkan State Reserve, which it superseded, initially covering 29,760 hectares in Lankaran and Astara rayons. A presidential decree of 23 April 2008 enlarged it to 40,358 hectares. The park protects the Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests of the Talysh Mountains and Lankaran Lowland.
The park's name comes from Hyrcania, the historical region on the Caspian's southern shore. Its Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests are being put forward for UNESCO World Heritage and Biosphere Reserve listing, with scientific dossiers submitted to the UNESCO Secretariat. The Caspian tit and the Talysh subspecies of the common pheasant live here.
The park is accessible year-round, allowing visitors to explore the forests and observe wildlife in their habitats. Guided tours help travelers understand the region's diverse ecosystems.
The area contains over 160 plant species found nowhere else in the world. Some trees growing there date back to the Tertiary period and survived multiple ice ages.
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